We're down to these three designs for the first jersey-only design;
A3
C2
D
We're going to wrap this up soon, so speak now! We're still planning to have a jersey/ bib short combo too, so we'll have something to look at there soon too.
Tim
Tim
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Last round of jersey designs!
Get your final vote in!
We're down to these three designs for the first jersey-only design;
We're down to these three designs for the first jersey-only design;
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
What a difference a year makes...
A little more than one year and a few hours ago, I was unconscious on the track surface at the San Diego Velodrome with a nearly completely severed off right thumb, a massive hematoma of the left eye, a double fracture of the right knee, a fractured right rib, three fractured vertebrae, a cracked skull and a very difficult path to recovery... along with another week-long stay in the hospital due to five blood clots in my right leg just less than two weeks after being released from the hospital the first time. My daughter was there at the track with me that night and showed strength and grace that I did not know she possessed and would only hear about from those who were there to witness it while I was either unconscious or too out of it to know what was happening.
What lay ahead for me that night was a long and sometimes frightening path to becoming strong enough to ride again one day. Nearly eight weeks with a cervical collar on, as well as a knee brace and crutches felt like an eternity. The loving support of friends, family and many of you helped make it possible for me to fight on through all the frustrations. There were some difficult times during the recovery process and from time to time I wondered if it really was time to "hang up the cleats".
Tonight, once I got home from a long day at work, I quickly scrambled to take advantage of the last bits of sunlight left and hurriedly got out for a ride. I grabbed my iPod Shuffle and scurried down the stairs in my cycling shoes, carrying my bike, and headed off to enjoy a few miles. I took off quickly, not allowing myself much time to warm up, and began pushing the pedals pretty hard from the beginning. I had to remind myself to slow down a little or risk running out of fuel too quickly, or potentially straining a muscle. I didn't really listen to myself, but at least I was conscious of the fact I was going too hard too soon... but I didn't care at all. I felt a lot like I did when I was a kid in high school, rushing home to get a training ride in before having to concentrate (meekly) on homework and chores. I hardly felt like a 39 year old with kids and bills tonight- I had some of that same passionate excitement to ride as I did when I was 16 and dreaming of Tour de France podiums. I also didn't feel like I was recovering anymore- I felt strong and healthy and attacked the ride with determination. I powered up each climb, not allowing myself to rest before reaching the top. I pushed the pedals hard at every opportunity- and it felt really good.
I've given up on the Tour podiums now, though I still dream of other podiums more in keeping with my age and ability. I still have the passion to ride and I feel blessed that I am now able to ride again with almost no problems. The neck is still very stiff and bothers me sometimes and the right arm still doesn't quite straighten, but I am otherwise able to ride without limitation... other than the relative lack of fitness.
Tonight was a celebration of life and the gift of health. As I have been saying for months now, "I'm well enough to be able to complain about not being able to ride as much or as often as I would like, due to my work schedule."
Thank you for your encouragement and support this past year and before- I consider myself lucky to know you all.
Tim
What lay ahead for me that night was a long and sometimes frightening path to becoming strong enough to ride again one day. Nearly eight weeks with a cervical collar on, as well as a knee brace and crutches felt like an eternity. The loving support of friends, family and many of you helped make it possible for me to fight on through all the frustrations. There were some difficult times during the recovery process and from time to time I wondered if it really was time to "hang up the cleats".
Tonight, once I got home from a long day at work, I quickly scrambled to take advantage of the last bits of sunlight left and hurriedly got out for a ride. I grabbed my iPod Shuffle and scurried down the stairs in my cycling shoes, carrying my bike, and headed off to enjoy a few miles. I took off quickly, not allowing myself much time to warm up, and began pushing the pedals pretty hard from the beginning. I had to remind myself to slow down a little or risk running out of fuel too quickly, or potentially straining a muscle. I didn't really listen to myself, but at least I was conscious of the fact I was going too hard too soon... but I didn't care at all. I felt a lot like I did when I was a kid in high school, rushing home to get a training ride in before having to concentrate (meekly) on homework and chores. I hardly felt like a 39 year old with kids and bills tonight- I had some of that same passionate excitement to ride as I did when I was 16 and dreaming of Tour de France podiums. I also didn't feel like I was recovering anymore- I felt strong and healthy and attacked the ride with determination. I powered up each climb, not allowing myself to rest before reaching the top. I pushed the pedals hard at every opportunity- and it felt really good.
I've given up on the Tour podiums now, though I still dream of other podiums more in keeping with my age and ability. I still have the passion to ride and I feel blessed that I am now able to ride again with almost no problems. The neck is still very stiff and bothers me sometimes and the right arm still doesn't quite straighten, but I am otherwise able to ride without limitation... other than the relative lack of fitness.
Tonight was a celebration of life and the gift of health. As I have been saying for months now, "I'm well enough to be able to complain about not being able to ride as much or as often as I would like, due to my work schedule."
Thank you for your encouragement and support this past year and before- I consider myself lucky to know you all.
Tim
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Big little things or little big things?
Tomorrow (4/29) marks exactly one year since "the crash" that changed my life- and nearly ended it. Tonight as I rode my rollers in the driveway and flogged myself for an hour, that fact was tucked somewhere deep in my head, but it was far away in the distance. Instead, my thoughts were focused on my pedal stroke and deep breathing. I concentrated on finding the smoothness in my pedaling and feeling the stroke all the way through the circle. My mind was not on recovery, but was fixed on getting stronger and fitter so that I can get back to being competitive.
During the hour, I did three hard 20 minute intervals that each finished with a max effort sprint. FYI- 37+mph and 165+rpm is my official terminal velocity on the rollers with the fixed gear. Each interval was an exercise in maintaining focus, since it is so easy for me to mentally drift away. But I managed to think of it as being similar to riding a Points race or a long Scratch race, or even a crit. I thought of it in terms of competition because I love to race bicycles. Since I was 12 years old, I've spent my life trying to race bicycles. I've had some great successes and far more disappointments, but my love of the sport has always remained.
As I've gone through this process of recovery from the injuries, I've frequently thought of things in terms of how long or how difficult returning to racing was going to be. Of course, it goes without saying, my thoughts have also been on what the recovery would mean to my greater life- the life I have with my friends, family, girlfriend and kids. But, as we're all inherently selfish beings, my thoughts have often fixated on being able to ride and race.
I've been blessed in many ways through this experience. I have had my life enriched beyond all measure by the people I am lucky to have come in contact with. I am also lucky that my helmet did its job and that the people at the track that night did not panic and kept my injuries from being even worse. I am blessed that my daughter was such a brave little girl that night- seeing me in that condition was not easy for a child just about to turn seven years old. I am lucky beyond belief that my friends and family and so many of you showered me with the support and encouragement I needed for my recovery. And I am also very lucky to have a girlfriend who spent a month away from her home in Taiwan to nurse me back to strength to be able to take care of myself. And, best of all, I am blessed to be recovered enough and strong enough to be able to dream about racing at the front of the pack again while I slog away on my trainer in the middle of the night, in my driveway.
Things could've turned out much worse- but they didn't.
Tim
During the hour, I did three hard 20 minute intervals that each finished with a max effort sprint. FYI- 37+mph and 165+rpm is my official terminal velocity on the rollers with the fixed gear. Each interval was an exercise in maintaining focus, since it is so easy for me to mentally drift away. But I managed to think of it as being similar to riding a Points race or a long Scratch race, or even a crit. I thought of it in terms of competition because I love to race bicycles. Since I was 12 years old, I've spent my life trying to race bicycles. I've had some great successes and far more disappointments, but my love of the sport has always remained.
As I've gone through this process of recovery from the injuries, I've frequently thought of things in terms of how long or how difficult returning to racing was going to be. Of course, it goes without saying, my thoughts have also been on what the recovery would mean to my greater life- the life I have with my friends, family, girlfriend and kids. But, as we're all inherently selfish beings, my thoughts have often fixated on being able to ride and race.
I've been blessed in many ways through this experience. I have had my life enriched beyond all measure by the people I am lucky to have come in contact with. I am also lucky that my helmet did its job and that the people at the track that night did not panic and kept my injuries from being even worse. I am blessed that my daughter was such a brave little girl that night- seeing me in that condition was not easy for a child just about to turn seven years old. I am lucky beyond belief that my friends and family and so many of you showered me with the support and encouragement I needed for my recovery. And I am also very lucky to have a girlfriend who spent a month away from her home in Taiwan to nurse me back to strength to be able to take care of myself. And, best of all, I am blessed to be recovered enough and strong enough to be able to dream about racing at the front of the pack again while I slog away on my trainer in the middle of the night, in my driveway.
Things could've turned out much worse- but they didn't.
Tim
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Ever get that feeling...
This week was a week that left me drained and tired from all of the ups and downs. Most weeks are like that of course, but this one was a true "mixed bag".
Returning to racing on the track this week was an obvious highlight for me. Again, words fail to describe the feeling of being well enough to make a return to the oval that I enjoy so much. With my work and travel schedule, it could be the only race I get to do this year on the track, but I made it back- even if just once. That alone stands as an accomplishment that means more to me than I can tell you.
In the space of this week, we also put in an amazing amount of work in a very, very short period of time to create some very exciting new products that will not be what you expect "from a brand like Masi". I am not going to give any further details until something official is ready to be shared, but it's going to be something very cool and something I am personally very excited about and as a company we are collectively excited about. Something of this size never happens over night... except for this time. There's rarely a time when you get to create something from nothing and bring it to life in a matter of days- especially in this industry. Needless to say, it was fun, exciting and very draining to go through such a process in the span of just a few days.
As most of you know, I am a total Social Media geek. It's my thing- outside of cycling- and is something I get exceptionally passionate about. I have consulted on the topic, written on the topic, speak on the topic, participate in forums/ discussions on the topic and participate in the various forms of Social Media. It's something that I believe in both professionally and personally. SM holds so much power and levels the playing field in a way that truly makes my idealistic Pisces heart very happy. This week was full of SM happiness and excitement for me. We, as a company at Haro/ Masi, had our very first company meeting to map out and begin to fully integrate SM strategies for the various brands in the family. I can not begin to tell you how excited that made me- I have been a non-stop cheerleader for SM at the company since I dove headlong into it on March 4th 2005. Taking these first steps with any company is always exciting, but the fact that it is the company I work for makes it even more exciting.
Another, very exciting bit of news on the SM front and one of my proudest moments is that I confirmed this week that I will be speaking in Denver in September at Learn About Web on my return leg coming back from the Expo Cycle show in Montreal. I am over the moon about this chance to speak to the audience of business owners, PR professionals and marketing people wanting to learn more about SM and what it means and can do for them. My thanks has to be given to Craig Sutton, who is the creator of LAW and to Deb Robison, who is a great friend and is working with Craig to pull the event off. Deb and my friend Mack Collier are the ones who really got the ball rolling by recommending me to Craig for the event. On top of it all, since I am traveling back from Montreal, it means I will have my bike with me and I will be able to ride in Denver as well! I will only be in Denver for a couple days, since it is between Expo Cycle and Interbike, but I am hoping to get a ride or two in as well as hopefully see a Masi dealer or two while there. More details coming soon... I promise.
All of this news and excitement, coupled with stress and not feeling well the last few days has left me pretty wiped out. I haven't touched my bike since Wednesday but hopefully will today. Masidaughter and I are planning to ride around the neighborhood this afternoon and spend a little quality time together before we dive into some chores and cleaning, etc. I may or may not be around on the blog for a few more days as I get through some of these chores and life... but I'll be back soon... you know I will.
Here's to hoping you have an exciting and/ or relaxing weekend.
Tim
Returning to racing on the track this week was an obvious highlight for me. Again, words fail to describe the feeling of being well enough to make a return to the oval that I enjoy so much. With my work and travel schedule, it could be the only race I get to do this year on the track, but I made it back- even if just once. That alone stands as an accomplishment that means more to me than I can tell you.
In the space of this week, we also put in an amazing amount of work in a very, very short period of time to create some very exciting new products that will not be what you expect "from a brand like Masi". I am not going to give any further details until something official is ready to be shared, but it's going to be something very cool and something I am personally very excited about and as a company we are collectively excited about. Something of this size never happens over night... except for this time. There's rarely a time when you get to create something from nothing and bring it to life in a matter of days- especially in this industry. Needless to say, it was fun, exciting and very draining to go through such a process in the span of just a few days.
As most of you know, I am a total Social Media geek. It's my thing- outside of cycling- and is something I get exceptionally passionate about. I have consulted on the topic, written on the topic, speak on the topic, participate in forums/ discussions on the topic and participate in the various forms of Social Media. It's something that I believe in both professionally and personally. SM holds so much power and levels the playing field in a way that truly makes my idealistic Pisces heart very happy. This week was full of SM happiness and excitement for me. We, as a company at Haro/ Masi, had our very first company meeting to map out and begin to fully integrate SM strategies for the various brands in the family. I can not begin to tell you how excited that made me- I have been a non-stop cheerleader for SM at the company since I dove headlong into it on March 4th 2005. Taking these first steps with any company is always exciting, but the fact that it is the company I work for makes it even more exciting.
Another, very exciting bit of news on the SM front and one of my proudest moments is that I confirmed this week that I will be speaking in Denver in September at Learn About Web on my return leg coming back from the Expo Cycle show in Montreal. I am over the moon about this chance to speak to the audience of business owners, PR professionals and marketing people wanting to learn more about SM and what it means and can do for them. My thanks has to be given to Craig Sutton, who is the creator of LAW and to Deb Robison, who is a great friend and is working with Craig to pull the event off. Deb and my friend Mack Collier are the ones who really got the ball rolling by recommending me to Craig for the event. On top of it all, since I am traveling back from Montreal, it means I will have my bike with me and I will be able to ride in Denver as well! I will only be in Denver for a couple days, since it is between Expo Cycle and Interbike, but I am hoping to get a ride or two in as well as hopefully see a Masi dealer or two while there. More details coming soon... I promise.
All of this news and excitement, coupled with stress and not feeling well the last few days has left me pretty wiped out. I haven't touched my bike since Wednesday but hopefully will today. Masidaughter and I are planning to ride around the neighborhood this afternoon and spend a little quality time together before we dive into some chores and cleaning, etc. I may or may not be around on the blog for a few more days as I get through some of these chores and life... but I'll be back soon... you know I will.
Here's to hoping you have an exciting and/ or relaxing weekend.
Tim
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Return...
I'd love to build the drama of this into something that would make a great Movie of the Week and tell you that I came from behind and won every race of the evening, driven by determination and squinting to see through tear-soaked eyes as I crushed the other riders in the races and my daughter danced in circles screaming the famous "GO DADDY GO" she is known for... but I ain't gonna do that. The night was much less dramatic, though still very emotionally charged for me.
I got to the track early enough to not have to stress out getting ready. As I unloaded my gear from my car, I talked to a guy I had only met once who only knew me through the blog and meeting at the Tour of California briefly. As a fellow track racer, he'd kinda followed along with my blogging about the recovery and was really happy to see me at the track again. The only other guy there unloading and getting ready to enter the track chimed in, "so you're the Masiguy... wow, welcome back man". And that kinda sets up the entire night.
It seems like every body I talked to during the night knew about the crash from last year. Apparently, I made more than just an impact on the actual track itself. Needless to say, it was very moving and I felt blessed to be around so many people so excited to see me on a bike again. It only grew from there too, as more and more of the people I know and who were there last April 29th began to show up. There were hugs and handshakes and more than a few "wow" comments. The previously mangled thumb was quite a hit, with very few people unimpressed by the fact it looks like "a real thumb" now.
I got suited up and got the bike ready to hit... no, wait... ride the track for the very first time since the crash last year. On the drive to the track, I was a mess with the nervous energy and even felt a little nauseous as I got onto the track for the first few laps. As I rode the track very tentatively and tried to get myself to ride close to the boards, I felt nervous and had a few of the "what the hell am I doing here" moments. As I cruised around for the first minutes, I did my best to relax my grip and remember to breathe. After a few minutes another rider pulled up beside me and we began to talk- he's a physician and was at the track the night of the crash and is the one who took care of me until the ambulance arrived. In many ways, I owe the fact that I was not in more trauma to his actions that night. He said he was very happy to see me back on the track and even a bit shocked- "when they put you in the ambulance, I didn't think we'd ever see you out here riding again".
Slowly, I began to feel a little less nervous and a bit more relaxed, so I started to speed up a little bit... looking for the edges of my comfort zone. It didn't take me long to find those edges, but I kept trying to expand them a little at a time. Towards the end of our open warm-up time, as I was high on the banking and talking to another rider going through turn one into turn two, I heard the painfully familiar explosion of a tire blowing... directly in front of me by about 5 bikes. My first thought was, "NO, not tonight!" As the rider with the blown tire slid down the track, at least one other rider went down with him, but I was able to navigate through the confusion without incident- though I doubt I took a breath for a lap. I instantly thought of packing up the bike and simply watching the racing, but the rider I was talking to didn't skip a beat in our conversation and that kept me calm enough to relax again.
Open track time closed and we went into the infield for the rider's meeting prior to the racing. After receiving our instructions from the officials, the juniors were off for their first race of the night. The race was short and then it was time for the racing to begin. At this time, the usual event is the motor-paced burnout, so I planned to sit in the infield and ride my rollers while the other riders contested the motor-paced event... since it was during that event that I had my crash- I figured that was one logical concession to my fear and anxiety. As they described the event to the racers and fans, they stated that there were no longer sprints at the end and that the event was a true warm-up and not a race. With this bit of news, I nervously decided to take to the rail with the other racers and see if I could choke down my anxiety and sit in for a few laps, giving myself the permission to pull out at any time to sit and watch. The first few laps were nervous as I settled in and learned to trust the wheel of the rider in front of me. The usual accordion effect of the undulating pace and surges at the front gave me fits, but I sat in and completed the 25 laps for my group and then happily got off the track!
The juniors were back up for their second short race and then the C group was up for their first race. As I rolled around on the warm up track and talked to a friend, the C's began to ramp up the speed of their race and then that is when the second crash of the night happened... and I saw the whole thing again. As the riders slammed into each other and then slid down the banking into a pile, the other rider I was talking to patted me on the back and laughed saying, "that's gotta make you feel good". I guess my anxiety was showing. Fortunately all of the riders were able to walk away from the crash, though some with a bit of scrapes and busted bikes. Still, they walked away and that's the best kind of crash.
Next, the B's were up... and I was racing the B's. Our first even was a short 12 lap Points Race with sprints on the 6th and 12th laps. As I took to the rail, I admit the nervousness was growing again. When they gave the gun after a neutral lap, the pace immediately jumped pretty sharply and the first race of my return was officially underway. I fought with the bike a little during the first few laps, just feeling uncomfortable at race speed and worrying that I was on the wrong sized gear. After a few more laps and the first sprint was done, I decided to try to get back up to the front part of the large field we had. I got back up to the front half of the group just in time for the final sprint and was far enough back that there was no real reason to sprint, so I didn't contest it as much as I just tried to see if I could accelerate with the group all the way to the line- which I did just fine. My very first race was done! There was one spot about 4 laps in when the group bunched up after a quick deceleration at the front and I got my hear rate up really quickly when people started bumping... but nobody went down and I survived. Race #1 in the done pile!
After the first race, I was much more comfortable and relaxed and even more ready and excited for the next two races. Next up was a 10 lap Scratch race that was blisteringly fast with another break off the front immediately. With about 4 laps to go, I attacked from the rear half of the field along the back stretch of the track and accelerated through the field pretty powerfully and was off on my own for the next 3 laps trying to close the gap to the leading 3 riders... and then my motor failed as I crossed the line to start the last lap with the filed catching me. I got back in and managed to keep from getting dropped or finishing last, but I realized that I have the speed... just no endurance. But I felt good for racing, rather than sitting in. Next up was a 20 lap Point-a-Lap with $2 to the winner of each lap, which always brings out the competitive nature in folks. I sat near the front, but was unsure of my legs still and didn't really want to do anything too soon, knowing I had poor endurance. I sat in for about the first 10 laps, but another group was rolling off the front taking all the money and points. So, I jumped out of the field again and flogged myself solo for about 6 laps with friends screaming for me to keep the hammer down. For a few laps, I thought I would actually catch the break and got close a few times bu they always slipped away when they sprinted each lap. With about 3-4 laps to go, I finally got caught by the field again and settled back in. I sat in for a couple laps near the very end of what remained of the field. On the last lap, I buried myself to get to the line as quickly as possible and finish as strongly as I could. It felt great to have worked so hard and to still find the strength to dig hard one more time.
After that, my racing was done for the night and I packed up my stuff while the last A's race finished up. I got lots of pats on the back from my friends and fellow racers. As I kept saying, it was great to complete the cycle of my recovery and get back on the track and push the pedals as hard as I could. I won nothing, but I proved to myself that my life did not end last April 29th. With time to train and continue to recover and regain my strength, I might even have a chance to win a race again. I know I am driven to try.
Again, I can not say enough thanks to everybody who supported and encouraged me during my recovery. It's not entirely done yet, but I am much closer and I am now able to say with confidence that I can still ride a track bike on the track. It is the camaraderie I have shared with my friends on the track over the years that made my desire to get back so strong. As one of my friends and fellow racers said, "welcome home". It sure felt like it.
Tim
(All photos by Pete Demos- our Creative Director and photographer extraordinaire. He and Rick Ortiz, his cohort in the graphic department and the guy behind the Masi ads and graphics, were there at the track. They were joined by Pete's girlfriend Amber and Rick's youngest daughter. Also there was my Product Manager, Wayne Doran, who works with me to create all of the fantastic Masi products. I owe them all a big thanks for being there to help cheer me on as well. )
I got to the track early enough to not have to stress out getting ready. As I unloaded my gear from my car, I talked to a guy I had only met once who only knew me through the blog and meeting at the Tour of California briefly. As a fellow track racer, he'd kinda followed along with my blogging about the recovery and was really happy to see me at the track again. The only other guy there unloading and getting ready to enter the track chimed in, "so you're the Masiguy... wow, welcome back man". And that kinda sets up the entire night.
It seems like every body I talked to during the night knew about the crash from last year. Apparently, I made more than just an impact on the actual track itself. Needless to say, it was very moving and I felt blessed to be around so many people so excited to see me on a bike again. It only grew from there too, as more and more of the people I know and who were there last April 29th began to show up. There were hugs and handshakes and more than a few "wow" comments. The previously mangled thumb was quite a hit, with very few people unimpressed by the fact it looks like "a real thumb" now.
I got suited up and got the bike ready to hit... no, wait... ride the track for the very first time since the crash last year. On the drive to the track, I was a mess with the nervous energy and even felt a little nauseous as I got onto the track for the first few laps. As I rode the track very tentatively and tried to get myself to ride close to the boards, I felt nervous and had a few of the "what the hell am I doing here" moments. As I cruised around for the first minutes, I did my best to relax my grip and remember to breathe. After a few minutes another rider pulled up beside me and we began to talk- he's a physician and was at the track the night of the crash and is the one who took care of me until the ambulance arrived. In many ways, I owe the fact that I was not in more trauma to his actions that night. He said he was very happy to see me back on the track and even a bit shocked- "when they put you in the ambulance, I didn't think we'd ever see you out here riding again".
Slowly, I began to feel a little less nervous and a bit more relaxed, so I started to speed up a little bit... looking for the edges of my comfort zone. It didn't take me long to find those edges, but I kept trying to expand them a little at a time. Towards the end of our open warm-up time, as I was high on the banking and talking to another rider going through turn one into turn two, I heard the painfully familiar explosion of a tire blowing... directly in front of me by about 5 bikes. My first thought was, "NO, not tonight!" As the rider with the blown tire slid down the track, at least one other rider went down with him, but I was able to navigate through the confusion without incident- though I doubt I took a breath for a lap. I instantly thought of packing up the bike and simply watching the racing, but the rider I was talking to didn't skip a beat in our conversation and that kept me calm enough to relax again.
Open track time closed and we went into the infield for the rider's meeting prior to the racing. After receiving our instructions from the officials, the juniors were off for their first race of the night. The race was short and then it was time for the racing to begin. At this time, the usual event is the motor-paced burnout, so I planned to sit in the infield and ride my rollers while the other riders contested the motor-paced event... since it was during that event that I had my crash- I figured that was one logical concession to my fear and anxiety. As they described the event to the racers and fans, they stated that there were no longer sprints at the end and that the event was a true warm-up and not a race. With this bit of news, I nervously decided to take to the rail with the other racers and see if I could choke down my anxiety and sit in for a few laps, giving myself the permission to pull out at any time to sit and watch. The first few laps were nervous as I settled in and learned to trust the wheel of the rider in front of me. The usual accordion effect of the undulating pace and surges at the front gave me fits, but I sat in and completed the 25 laps for my group and then happily got off the track!
The juniors were back up for their second short race and then the C group was up for their first race. As I rolled around on the warm up track and talked to a friend, the C's began to ramp up the speed of their race and then that is when the second crash of the night happened... and I saw the whole thing again. As the riders slammed into each other and then slid down the banking into a pile, the other rider I was talking to patted me on the back and laughed saying, "that's gotta make you feel good". I guess my anxiety was showing. Fortunately all of the riders were able to walk away from the crash, though some with a bit of scrapes and busted bikes. Still, they walked away and that's the best kind of crash.
Next, the B's were up... and I was racing the B's. Our first even was a short 12 lap Points Race with sprints on the 6th and 12th laps. As I took to the rail, I admit the nervousness was growing again. When they gave the gun after a neutral lap, the pace immediately jumped pretty sharply and the first race of my return was officially underway. I fought with the bike a little during the first few laps, just feeling uncomfortable at race speed and worrying that I was on the wrong sized gear. After a few more laps and the first sprint was done, I decided to try to get back up to the front part of the large field we had. I got back up to the front half of the group just in time for the final sprint and was far enough back that there was no real reason to sprint, so I didn't contest it as much as I just tried to see if I could accelerate with the group all the way to the line- which I did just fine. My very first race was done! There was one spot about 4 laps in when the group bunched up after a quick deceleration at the front and I got my hear rate up really quickly when people started bumping... but nobody went down and I survived. Race #1 in the done pile!
After the first race, I was much more comfortable and relaxed and even more ready and excited for the next two races. Next up was a 10 lap Scratch race that was blisteringly fast with another break off the front immediately. With about 4 laps to go, I attacked from the rear half of the field along the back stretch of the track and accelerated through the field pretty powerfully and was off on my own for the next 3 laps trying to close the gap to the leading 3 riders... and then my motor failed as I crossed the line to start the last lap with the filed catching me. I got back in and managed to keep from getting dropped or finishing last, but I realized that I have the speed... just no endurance. But I felt good for racing, rather than sitting in. Next up was a 20 lap Point-a-Lap with $2 to the winner of each lap, which always brings out the competitive nature in folks. I sat near the front, but was unsure of my legs still and didn't really want to do anything too soon, knowing I had poor endurance. I sat in for about the first 10 laps, but another group was rolling off the front taking all the money and points. So, I jumped out of the field again and flogged myself solo for about 6 laps with friends screaming for me to keep the hammer down. For a few laps, I thought I would actually catch the break and got close a few times bu they always slipped away when they sprinted each lap. With about 3-4 laps to go, I finally got caught by the field again and settled back in. I sat in for a couple laps near the very end of what remained of the field. On the last lap, I buried myself to get to the line as quickly as possible and finish as strongly as I could. It felt great to have worked so hard and to still find the strength to dig hard one more time.
After that, my racing was done for the night and I packed up my stuff while the last A's race finished up. I got lots of pats on the back from my friends and fellow racers. As I kept saying, it was great to complete the cycle of my recovery and get back on the track and push the pedals as hard as I could. I won nothing, but I proved to myself that my life did not end last April 29th. With time to train and continue to recover and regain my strength, I might even have a chance to win a race again. I know I am driven to try.
Again, I can not say enough thanks to everybody who supported and encouraged me during my recovery. It's not entirely done yet, but I am much closer and I am now able to say with confidence that I can still ride a track bike on the track. It is the camaraderie I have shared with my friends on the track over the years that made my desire to get back so strong. As one of my friends and fellow racers said, "welcome home". It sure felt like it.
Tim
(All photos by Pete Demos- our Creative Director and photographer extraordinaire. He and Rick Ortiz, his cohort in the graphic department and the guy behind the Masi ads and graphics, were there at the track. They were joined by Pete's girlfriend Amber and Rick's youngest daughter. Also there was my Product Manager, Wayne Doran, who works with me to create all of the fantastic Masi products. I owe them all a big thanks for being there to help cheer me on as well. )
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
It's done!
The first track race since my crash is now officially "in the done pile".
I can not begin to express what it felt like and still feels like now... it's incredible. Bringing the experience of the crash back full circle is amazingly fulfilling.
I'll have a full report and pictures later... now it's time for a celebratory burrito!
Tim
-- Post From My iPhone
I can not begin to express what it felt like and still feels like now... it's incredible. Bringing the experience of the crash back full circle is amazingly fulfilling.
I'll have a full report and pictures later... now it's time for a celebratory burrito!
Tim
-- Post From My iPhone
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